BACK ON THE ROAD TO PEACE

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have met many times in the past and pledged to work toward a peaceful settlement of their differences. After hugs and handshakes, the peace deals eventually crumble. The same fate could easily befall the most recent peace-making efforts begun at yesterday’s summit in Egypt. However, there are encouraging signs that this round of negotiations, with more involvement by the United States, could be more productive.

On her first trip overseas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. She invited both men to meet with President Bush in the United States this spring.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan was right to warn that there would still be “ups and downs along the way.” However, he added it was “important that we seize this opportunity.”

Renewed high-level U.S. involvement is a key ingredient of the peace process. In June 2003, Mr. Sharon and Mr. Abbas, who then worked for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, ceremoniously shook hands to launch the internationally backed “Road Map” peace plan. That plan was quickly scuttled when Palestinians failed to halt suicide bombings and Israel retaliated by assassinating Palestinian leaders.

A period of bloodshed, with feeble attempts at peace talks, followed.

Since being elected president last month, Mr. Abbas has begun using Palestinian Authority police to try to stop militant attacks, something Mr. Arafat never did. On Sunday, Fatah, a more mainstream movement, said it would agree to a mutual cease-fire with Israel in the West Bank and Gaza and said it would not attack civilians inside Israel.

As a result of these efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon has said he would pull some troops from West Bank towns and has agreed to release some Palestinian prisoners. Last week, Israel announced it planned to release 900 detainees. Palestinians were critical of the offer because more than 11,000 Palestinians are in custody and because a list of who was to be released was to be agreed upon by both Israeli and Palestinian officials. Late last week, the two sides agreed to set up a committee to determine what detainees would be released.

An infusion of American money, announced by President Bush in his State of the Union speech last week, into the Palestinian territory is also helpful. Secretary Rice announced during her visit that $40 million in aid would go to the Palestinians in the next three months. The money is to be used to create jobs and improve infrastructure. Giving young Palestinians a job, income and a future may deter them from killing themselves and others in suicide bombings.

There will no doubt be ups and downs on the road ahead, but for now, both sides are headed in the same direction.